An NCIS Family
by NinjaAssassians.ForTheWin
Summary: Tony and Ziva have made it clear they love each other, but when a young girl comes along and Tony and Ziva have to take care of her they find out what it would be like to be parents together. Tony and Ziva. Abby and McGee
1. Grab Your Gear

_**Author's Note: This is my first Tiva story so plese go easy on me. Leave comments and suggestions please!  
**_

_**I only own Miranda and the story. Everything else belongs to CBS.  
**_

**Grab Your Gear**

I woke up at my desk at NCIS covered in my coat with a half-eaten box of pizza on my desk. I looked over to see Ziva David and Timothy McGee still fast asleep. I moved the mouse on the computer and covered my eyes against the bright light coming off the monitor. It was 4:56am. I looked at Gibbs desk and wasn't surprised to find that he wasn't there. I lied back on the chair and covered myself up with my jacket and went back to sleep.

The next time I woke up Ziva was shaking me away saying sweet words in Hebrew. I opened my eyes and looked up into her puppy dog brown eyes. She covered my mouth with her index finger when I opened my mouth to say something. I raised my eyebrows in question and whispered softly in my ear, "McGee is still asleep and Gibbs has not shown up since he left last night. Just so you know it is 9am." I looked up at her and she knew that I wanted to kiss her then. So she leaned down the short distance from our faces and my lips met hers.

I wrapped my arms around her and her fingers went though my short hair. I stood up slowly and kept holding her, hoping I could never let go. I opened my eyes to look over to the elevator, then the stairs to check for Gibbs. I thought I saw movement over in the probie corner and ducked down. Our lips broke away from each other, each wanting more. That's when my life changed. When I had decided to show that look in my eyes and Ziva had leaned down to my lips. Someone must have seen. We just needed to find out who.

Gibbs had the skill to walk in at the perfect moment and I was just glad that he hadn't burst in when me and Ziva were breaking rule number twelve, no dating other co-workers. I looked at Ziva and my eyes met hers. We couldn't tell anyone about this. Never. I looked at McGee as he took in a long breath signaling that he was waking up. Ziva got up from behind my desk and hurried to her chair to look asleep. McGee opened his eyes.

"What time is it?" He asked, still half asleep.

"About nine, McSleepy." I answered. He got up out of his desk chair and stretched and looked around.

"Where's Gibbs?" He asked loudly. I winced and put my finger to my mouth while my other hand pointed at Ziva who moaned. She wasn't asleep, but McGee thought so. He made a small nod and raised his eyebrows and mouthed "Where's Gibbs." I shrugged. He walked out of the squad room and down the hall to get some coffee for the team from a cafe a few blocks away.

I quietly walked over to Ziva, hoping she wouldn't notice. I held my breath as I leaned over her face studying her. I crouched down as an NCIS agent walked by then got back up and whispered quietly to her.

"McGee's getting coffee. I thought you did well. He thought you were sleeping." Her eyes fluttered open then her whole body grew tense.

"Get to your desk. I hear the elevator." I jumped as I heard the ding of the elevator behind the stairs and threw myself at my chair and made small talk with Aiva from across the room.

"I see you're awake. You didn't snore last night." I said

"Well it was because I could not sleep with you falling off of your chair every thirty minutes."

"Why were we sleeping at our desks in the first place?"

"Because there was a snow storm DiNozzo. Look outside." Gibbs answered walking into the squad room. I glanced at the window covered in snow. "Grab your gear. There's a twelve year old girl with a dead marine dad." I slipped into my black coat and thanked God I decided to bring the heavy one yesterday. I grabbed my backpack and threw on my NCIS hat. Ziva was struggling to put her coat on. I could understand, it was her first real padded coat of her life. This was her fourth winter at NCIS but she never had a coat like this.

I grabbed a side and held it out to her as she slipped her arm in and threw on her backpack. I ran to catch up with Gibbs at the elevator as Ziva followed close behind. "What about McGee?" I asked as the elevator doors closed shut and we began to fall down to ground level.

"He'll come with Ducky." He answered. We got into the car and I prepared to be pushed against the seat when Gibbs started the engine, but it never came. The snow was making the car slow down and drive at a normal speed. He pulled out of the parking garage and sped down the highway. We arrived at the home and pulled up to the curb. It was a cute little house. Two floors, long windows, small, brick, regular sized front yard with decorations of a light up wire reindeer and penguin. The gutters were covered in multicolored Christmas lights with a small green wreath on the front yard. I walked up the snowy drive and up to the front door and knocked.

A blond girl in jeans and a white and black sweater answered the door. She had blue green eyes and flushed cheeks that were covered in blood. Blood covered her outfit and the tips of her hair. She sneezed into a tissue as I grabbed my gun and signaled for Ziva and Gibbs to surround the house. She stepped to the side as she let me through and walk inside.

"There's no one here but me. And my dad." She said in a sweet voice. She stood up to her full height that looked to be about five feet. She sneezed into a tissue again then walked into what looked like the kitchen. She pointed to the dead body looking at me with sad eyes. I felt like I wanted to kill the person who put this girl into so much pain. She was too young for this kind of torture. I whipped my head around when the back door opened at Ziva and Gibbs walked in.

"I'm sorry that I messed up the crime scene. I was just upset and crying and hugging him and oh my god I'm sorry." She said with wet eyes. Gibbs took one glance at her then to the body then the girl again and I saw pity in Gibbs eyes. I knew that he felt bad for her too.

"DiNozzo. Take this young lady to get her things." Gibbs ordered. I nodded and held the girl's shoulder as I walked her out of the room and she showed me to her room. She sat on the bed and I sat down next to her and took out a pen and notepad.

"So can you tell me about yourself?" I asked the nameless girl.

"My name is Miranda. I have a cold, I'm twelve, a little taller than five feet, this is my natural hair color and I don't know my mother. I don't have any close relatives err, well I don't know any... now." She said

"Now?"

"Yeah, I had some cool uncles. Uncle Jack, Uncle Nik, Uncle Conner. They were all really fun. From the army. Not real relatives. But they... they went to war one year... and never came back. It was a MIA."

"So you go get some clothes. A few outfits. Your going to be 'living' at NCIS until we find you a foster home."

"Okay." She got off the bed and lied on the floor and grabbed a brown and pink suitcase from under the bed and walked over to the closet. It was a nice room. A dream room for any girl her age.

The walls where a deep chocolate brown with soft, light pink dots about a foot wide covering the walls in a pattern about two feet between. The bed was almost the exact brown as on the walls with soft pink vine-like lines on it with pink pillows with brown vine-like lines. The floor was wood with a fuzzy brown rug with pink edges covering the middle of the chocolate brown wood flooring. There was one window on the side the bed was pushed against with pink trim and a sill with potted pink flowers.

The drapes where brown with small pink flowers. The room also had a bookshelf, desk, and a bedside table with a brown lamp and a pink light that radiated from it. There was a sweatshirt draped on the desk chair and brown boots with fur at the top near the door.

Miranda stepped away from the closet and put her hand on the brass handle of the door to leave.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"Just to get my tooth brush and stuff. The bathroom's right at the end of the hall."

I got off the bed and let her lead me to the bathroom. It was blue and white with a bathtub that also served as a shower, and a counter right next to the door with a sink and mirror. Miranda opened the top drawer and grabbed a brown toothbrush and Vanilla Mint toothpaste. I grabbed them from her.

"I need those you know." She said.

"Yeah, well we have to test them for poison and throw them away. We'll get you some more."

"Okay fine. As long as I can keep the toothbrush."

"No."

"Yes. I need it. It was my friend's that she never used. She had it and didn't have any money to get me a really amazing gift."

"Then let her get you another."

"You don't get it. She moved. To Kentucky."

"Fine. I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you!" She almost screamed as she hugged me.

"Go on get your other stuff and I'll need to test it too, just not throw it away." She pushed open the shower and reached in. She pulled out two pink bottles along with a yellow vanilla smelling bar of soap.

"Shampoo, conditioner, and soap" she said as she placed them in evidence bags as I held them open for her.

"Good lets go." I said as I grabbed the bags and the suitcase as she walked in to the kitchen again. "Her name's Miranda, she has a thing for brown and pink things, has no known relatives, that's her natural hair color, and she has blue green eyes." I said to Gibbs and Ziva.

"Any allergies?" Ziva asked.

"Didn't ask." I answered.

"Well go get 'em DiNozzo." Gibbs ordered keeping his voice down. I walked over to Miranda with an empty notepad.

"Hey, Miranda. Do you have any allergies?" I asked leaning down on one knee.

"Um, yea, let's see... cats, pollen, bee stings, oh and tree nuts. Your standard stuff." She coughed. Ziva ran over.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, just a cold." Miranda smiled.

"Let's get her back to NCIS." Gibbs said walking out the front door.


	2. Back to NCIS

_**Author's Note: Hey sorry guys! I know that there's so many people who like this story by the number emails!!! I kept writing this one, forgetting to save and then it magically closes and wasn't saved! It was really hard anyway I finally finished and I absolutely love this ending! Give me reviews and comments! All writers love them!**_

_**I only own Miranda and the story. Everything else belongs to CBS.**_**  
**

**Back to NCIS**

The car ride back to NCIS was anything but silent. Miranda screamed whenever we sped up. Ziva was driving so it was hectic in the back. Gibbs kept yelling at me to keep Miranda quiet or we'd crash, and I had to grab on to her every stoplight to keep her from killing herself. She was breathing hard and her eyes were wide in fear.

"Ziva you need to slow down or you're going to give her a heart attack!" I yelled.

"Well if I went any slower we would be parked!" She yelled back.

"Please slow down, Ziva!" I yelled. Gibbs grabbed her arm and looked at her. Ziva slowed down instantly. I still had Miranda in my arms and I figured that I would be doing this the half hour back to NCIS, so I unbuckled my seatbelt and got settled. Her hands felt cold, grabbing my arm that was just below her neck, to her body.

"What about Ducky?" I asked.

"We'll come back. Just me, McGee, and Ducky." Gibbs answered.

"So me and Tony will just stay at NCIS with the girl." Ziva stated.

"I have a name." Miranda said. It was the first thing she said in the car without screaming. Ziva stopped abruptly and Miranda let out a small screech.

"Well you'll be taking care of her end of discussion. I'll get you both a place to stay, like a furnished apartment and you do the rest."

"But Gib-" Ziva started.

"End of discussion."

The rest of the car ride was silent, except when Miranda would make a small screech, but other than that the car was quiet. When we reached NCIS Miranda could barely stand so I just scooped her up and carried her to the elevator as Ziva joined us. I could see Gibbs still sitting in the car watching us, his mind a million miles away.

When we walked out McGee started talking then shut up quickly, seeing my accessory.

"Ziva drove, she was going to pass out." I answered his unasked question.

"She already has, Tony." Ziva said as she slipped past me and into her box, office thing. I walked into mine and set Miranda down in the chair and called Ducky.

"Ducky you have a patient up here."

"I'll be right up." He said in his British accent.

Ducky came up with his medical bag and hurried over.

"Tony I think she's a little too young for you." He commented. Ziva laughed mockingly.

"Her father is our case. Dead. We went in the car and she was fine when I picked her up then when we got to the squad room she was out cold." I said

"Well then." Ducky said as he took out some of his tools and checked Miranda out. He opened her eyelid and peered in with a light, then the other one.

"She'll be fine." He said after a quick checkup. "Just make sure she closes her eyes next time or get Ziva to drive a little slower for her medical reasons."

"I am sorry! I did not know that young girls do that at such a young age."

"Well you better be sorry." Came the small fragile looking girl from my chair.

"Ah. Miranda your awake." Said Ducky coming over to talk to her.

"I'm sorry, I don't think I've met you." She said embarrassed.

Ducky laughed, "I wouldn't assume so! I learned things about you when you were unconscious. Anyway I'm Dr. Mallard, but you may call me Ducky."

Miranda shook herself awake. "Hello, Ducky." She paused then in a worried tone, "Will you be examining my dad's body?"

"Yes. But don't worry. From what I learned you were very brave. I know quite a few people who would collapse if someone like that had been killed." Looking at the team.

Miranda looked around a bit then sat up and walked over to McGee's desk with the coffee and treats sitting on it. She grabbed cup that obviously was her favorite and started devouring it.

"Hey! That was mine!" McGee shouted.

"Not anymore." She said back. I gave her a high five, then grabbed the coffee she held out to me, then she grabbed the last cup and put it on Ziva's desk.

"Mmm, Agent McGee you have good taste! Pumpkin spice latte is my favorite" Miranda said as she licked the whipped cream off the top."

"Miranda, I do not recall Tony telling you who Agent McGee is." Ziva said sipping her coffee.

"Oh, that was easy. I just looked at the open case file on your desk, and I presume your the computer geek too? That was simple-r. I just looked at all the numbers and letters on the computer. Not so much work if you ask me." Miranda looked at her pocket as a jumble of notes played and she wiggled the cell phone out of her pocket. "Oh yay! A text!" She looked at the device.

"What phone?" McGee looked over her shoulder as Miranda pressed her phone to her chest.

"The Samsung Intensity. Why?"

"No reason. Your phone's better than Tony's."

"Well lucky me." She said as she slid down the keyboard and texted quickly then put it back in her pocket.

"So, now what?" She asked.

"We find out what happened to your dad and all information about him." Gibbs said stepping into the squad room.

"It's snowing!" Miranda yelled and skipped to the window. I stared at her sipping the latte and watching the snow fell down. I would have to ask Gibbs the big question in the field.

"Tony! Get all information about Miranda's father out of her in interrogation."

"Come on Miranda, we're going to interrogate you."

"Yes. So excited now." She said sarcastically as I led her to the elevator and up to interrogation. I sat her down in the grey, bleak room and walked out to prepare some things. When I walked in to the room on the other side of the mirror, she was gone.

"I told you not to let her leave!" I yelled at the man at the computer. A blond head popped up.

"I didn't leave. I got bored in the chair." She said looking at the mirror trying to find me. I walked into the grey room and she got up and sat in her chair and rested her head on her arm and closed her eyes.

"I'm tired." She complained.

"Well this is important. So sit up and prepare to answer some questions." I said seriously.

"I don't wanna." She moaned, "I can answer questions like this."

"What's your father's full name?" She started to sit up.

"Lieutenant Commander Matt Williams."

"Have you ever visit his base?"

"No. Not even on Bring Your Kid To Work day." Her eyes welled with tears. I moved to sit by her.

"Agent DiNozzo?" She was on the verge of tears.

"Yeah?"

"I miss my daddy!" She cried into my sholder.

I had to find the man that put this little girl in so much pain.


	3. Getting Settled

_**Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews, subscriptions, and story alerts guys! The first or second day (hahaha!!! Sorry I don't remember!) I got 14 emails all from Fan Fiction! I love how this one ends! It's really cute! You'll love it. I tried to incorporate some of your comments into this but I can't get them all! Enjoy my Fair Flowers!**_

**_I own only Miranda, Caesar, and the story. Everything else belongs to CBS._  
**

**Getting Settled**

I walked out of the interrogation room with the small, fragile, blond girl and brought her down to the squad room.

"Get comfortable," I said, "you might be here for another few hours."

"Yippie." She replied sarcastically, but with a smile. I gave her McGee's desk and his computer while he was gone. It was just Miranda, Ziva, and I. I didn't know where Gibbs was, but that was normal. McGee probably ran away to hid in Abby's lab. Miranda, from what I could tell was on Facebook and her phone. At the same time. Was that possible? Apparently it was. She caught me starring at her with a confused look on her face.

"Can I help you?" She asked puzzled.

"No, just curious." I walked over and hunched over her like I did to McGee.

"This is kinda about things that you don't really need to get involved in Agent DiNozzo." She said slowly moving out of the way.

"Tony! Do not torture her! She is but a child. You do not want to scar her for life." Ziva spoke up.

"Well pardon me." I walked back to my desk. After a half hour I saw movement in the probie corner and I saw Miranda looking at the monitor and mouthing the lyrics to Future Love by Kristina DeBarge. She seemed not to notice me watching. She should have been crying her eyes out. But why wasn't she?

The elevator dung and Abby ran out. "Where's the girl? Little Timmy's been whining that he lost his latte and I need to give her a hug!"

Ziva laughed, "She is right there." Motioning to probie's desk.

"You've taken over his desk too? Your like a little hero!" Miranda blushed and stood up.

"Miranda Williams, and your...?"

"Abby, the lab goth."

"Do you have a Mac?"

"No, but I want one."

"Well buy Microsoft Word. Because Apple's sucks." Abby laughed so hard I thought she would suffocate.

Abby led Miranda down to the lab saying how important cells were to learn about while Miranda disagreed and said that they were boring. I looked at Ziva.

"So we're going to parents." I said putting my hands on her desk.

"Yes, and if you try to have sex with me I _will_ kill you."

"Then what's the fun of it!"

"There is no fun. We just take care of her until we can get her a foster family."

"If we get her a foster family we'll never see her again, see what she's like when she's older, or even see if she marries!"

"True. But as Gibbs' would say, 'We can not get ourselves involved in the family.'"

"So you just want to give her to the crows and see what happens? See if she's upset enough to commit suicide and have Ducky examining her downstairs with a Y cut in her chest? Is that what you would do? Kids these days are really doing that. I'm not kidding. They kill themselves maybe just to get attention. But her life might just be miserable enough. . ." I trailed off.

"So what do you think we should do?"

"Get to work." Gibbs said as he entered the room and sat at his desk.

"Well, I couldn't get much info out of her, boss. She started crying so I'm going to try again maybe tomorrow."

"We need answers now, DiNozzo."

"Gibbs, we haven't given her enough time to get a hold of herself. There's only so much we can put her up against. She's been brave this far but..." I trailed off.

"Do it again. See what you can get. Don't force it out of her. Ask about her mother, her cousins. Try to lay off of her father until later."

"Yes, boss." I walked to the elevator to go down to Abby's lab when I saw Gibbs talking to Ziva mentioning both me and Miranda.

As usual, Abby's lab was loud with music, but this song wasn't on her playlist.

"Do you like it?" Abby asked "Miranda showed me it. It's called I Miss You by Blink 182. Really good, I think."

"Good choice, both of you." I paused. "Miranda, I think we need to get you back to your house to collect a few more things right?"

"Oh snap your right! I need a pillow, Bear... Oh snap! Cowboy!"

"Cowboy?" I asked.

"That's what I call our dog Caesar. I call him Cowboy because I like to walk with him like in my legs, not the wrong way, and then I'm like, Cowboy! And it's so funny!"

"So you do need some more stuff."

"Yeah. Lets go! Bye Abby! I'll bring my ipod touch too!" I walked her into the elevator and she sat on the floor. "Agent DiNozzo?"

"Yeah?"

"What's going to happen to me? I don't want to find some foster parents who aren't going to know me, or some academy. I want nice 'parents' or just a 'parent' for that matter."

"I don't know yet. But I do know that since Gibbs hasn't gotten somewhere for you, me, and Ziva to stay, all of us are packing into my apartment. Don't worry. It has enough room for all of us and a more."

"Okay."

The car started quickly and Miranda's hand rushed to turn the heat up to it's maximum. The car ride was faster, rush hour was over and people were turning in to bed. We got to her street when I saw her eyes were glassy looking out the windshield and she blinked to hold back the tears. I pulled into the driveway and let her get out and walk inside but midway she changed her path so she wouldn't have to go through the kitchen and crime scene. Miranda was in her room grabbing her pillow, teddy bear, ipod, sweatshirt, and backpack when she finally spoke.

"One. Can you carry this?" She held out the schoolbag.

"Sure." I grabbed it and slung it over my shoulder. I should have guessed. It was brown with pink dots and smaller brown dots inside them.

"Two. Am I going to go to school?"

"Can't answer the second one yet. Maybe." We walked out the front door when a boy around Miranda's age was walking down the road.

"So Miranda. Your dad died? Who's this? An army friend?" He teased.

"Jacob shut up." She warned.

"Suck it!"

"My mommy taught me not to put small things in my mouth." She smiled slyly and stepped into the car. I smiled too. She could be my sister.

"Nice burn."

"Thanks. That's Jacob. He's a pervert. Don't make eye contact. I made that mistake when we moved in. Regret it now after a year of him. Let's go pick up Caesar."

"Just tell me where to go." I was fine with a dog. A girl like her would love a little dachshund or a chihuahua, maybe even a pug. We drove up to Puppy Playpen and Miranda got out and went up the door like this was routine for her and I followed.

Inside it was crowded. In the window there was an area where they trimmed dogs right before they're owners payed for their pups and a counter separated that from the small hallway in the entryway. The hallway was about two yards wide and seven yards long. About ten feet in there was a baby gate to keep the dogs back. On the other side of the gate I saw a wall and a 'T' in the hallway one going left and one going right. It looked like to the right I might find cages but I couldn't tell. Across from the counter window thing there was a room where you paid and could buy dog toys, treats, clothes, and collars.

"Hey Miranda. Where's you dad?" The woman behind the register asked. She had dark brown hair and looked to be in her early twenties.

"Oh I don't know. I had one of his friends drive me." She answered.

"Oh, hi. I'm Katie Roland. And you are?"

"Tony DiNozzo. I'm taking care of Miranda for the next few weeks." I leaned over the counter that held the register. "Her dad's in the hospital. The doctors found something wrong, I don't know what, but he entrusted me with her."

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry!"

"It's fine. Could we pick up Caesar?"

"Sure sure." She rushed, walking into the hallway and stepping over the baby gate to the right and came back with a dog. "I'll just do a last minute clipping..." Katie took Caesar and walked him onto the silver platform and raised it so she could get a good angle on his fur.

Caesar wasn't what I expected. He was gold, and furry. And a huge golden retriever. How could a dog get _that_ big? I would have thought it was impossible. Again, I was proven wrong.

"_That's_ Caesar?" I asked bewildered.

"No. Really? Good job Agent DiNozzo! Your learning!"

I drove back to NCIS while Miranda played with the dog. When I got in she was exhausted so I lied her down in the back with the dog on the floor below. _There goes my new car smell. _I thought. I ran up to the elevator, walked into the squad room and put my elbows on Ziva's 'wall'.

"Come on, Honey. We need to get our little Miranda back to my place."

"Oh no no no no no. Not your apartment. We will wait for Gibbs to give us a place to keep her."

"Fine. But it's too late. Stay until you find Gibbs, then come to my apartment in your car a-sap."

"I will see you later then."

"Night." I called even though I would be seeing her again soon. Miranda was almost asleep when I got in the car Miranda and Caesar were almost asleep so I kept the radio down. I grabbed her school bag and suitcase while she had her pillow and other things.

"Time for bed. Sleep here." I led her into the guest room across from mine.

"M'kay" I left her to change and at the same time I cleaned up the bathroom and my room.

"Night!" She called closing the door while Caesar jumped onto the bed. I opened it again. "What?" She was annoyed now, if she wasn't already

"I don't want anyone taking you while your here. I want to keep an eye on you." She shrugged.

"Sure. Just don't be a stalker." She said and got under the covers and fell asleep with the dog at her side.

It was a half hour before Ziva arrived. "Okay, so the bed I thought that had come in hadn't so you get the left half, I'll get the right."

"Tony, I would be mad at you but under the circumstances. . ." I saw the bags under her eyes and let her get into her PJ's and into bed before I walked in and waited for her to fall asleep. The next thing I heard was the alarm clock.

I switched it off and went into the bathroom to shower and shave. I got out and Miranda was still sleeping with the puppy, no surprise there, and Ziva was looking for food in the pantry.

"Cereal, milk, what comes next?"

"Maybe a spoon?" I asked holding a clean spoon up in front of her face from behind her.


	4. Boys, Phones, and Screams

**_Author's Note: _****_Okay so this format might be a little different. I just got Word for my Mac so yeah. I don't know what it'll do so let's find out! Sorry if I took a while to write this . . .I was neglecting to do it. But I wrote it in about two days! Enjoy Cupcakes!_**

**_I only own Miranda, Caesar, and my story. All characters and idea's belong to CBS! *no way* YES WAY BABY!!!_**

**Boys, Phones, and Screams**

It's been 4 weeks. There were no leads on the murder of Matt Williams, loved father of Miranda Williams. Nothing in bank records. No record of crimes. It was a dead end for Miranda and the team. I pulled all nighters trying to look for some miniscule clue, but there was none. Ducky only said he was killed by four gunshot wounds to the abdomen. There was no murder weapon anywhere. Miranda said her father never owned a gun at home. Only at the base. He never brought it home. He had a perfect family, as oppose to other families in the same situations. His daughter was smart, polite, and friendly. She had everything, and she never abused it. She toughed it out, but was still compassionate.

Miranda started school again two weeks ago. She had a crush, lost him, found another, and now she's convinced that she's going to go out with him. Her braces apparently aren't showing any progress but I can't really blame her. The orthodontists haven't been doing their job apparently. She had friends over all the time and she read her books. She was perfect, just like her family. She walked to school everyday, and did her homework every night. Her reports were finished two weeks before they were due, she studied the week before the test, and her grades were straight A's.

When I had to work late she made herself a dinner and dessert, a special reward after work. One day was different when she came home.

"Um. . ." She said as she stepped into the apartment and set her backpack down. "I'm going to go for a walk. Okay?"

"Sure. Why right after school? Do you want to take Caesar?" I asked. She wasn't in her usual smiley mood.

"Uh. . . No, I'm good. I just need to get all this drama and crap out of my head."

"Okay. Enjoy."

"Thanks." She attempted to smile as she turned on her heel and walked to the door.

"Miranda?"

"Yeah?" She turned around.

I paused. "Be careful."

"I will. I'm a tough cookie." She smiled but then it dropped. She stepped out the door and it shut closed behind her. It was weird acting like her dad. Ziva was usually here or nearby. She was the protective side of our "relationship." I usually slept while Ziva went home. Why Gibbs let this go on for so long, beats me. I just wanted Miranda to live a normal life while all this crap when on under her nose, but she usually figured out.

Miranda came back thirty minutes later. "Hey, what's up? Sorry I was so . . . weird before. Bree got a boyfriend. His name's Justin. I think he's just using Bree to get a girlfriend I don't really think he cares about her. I told her that and she got really mad. She said that Kayla was the only one who understands when I was messing around that she should break his heart by hitting it with a hammer, burning it, running it over with a car, hitting it with a jackhammer, then when it was all dust to put it in a jar and shake it up and put it in a rocket and let it explode into the moon. She got really mad and said that I don't know what love is! She's such a . . . never mind."

"Good never minding. Anyway, Bree sounds like she has problems with her family."

"Yeah, unlike me? Tony, I don't have a dad. I'm the only one in my school who crossed the line for that at Challenge Day." Challenge Day was where most of the kids on her team went and just were themselves. They talked about that sad parts of life and explained what it's like to live a day in their lives. The kids talked about how messed up their families are and all that stuff. They played a 'game' where they stepped over a line in the gym where they would name something like 'If someone in your family, or a loved one is addicted to drugs or alcohol please cross the line. They announced one sentence that made Miranda cross the line alone.

"If one or both of your parents are gone, or dead, please cross the line." Miranda stepped out of the mob of kids and stood facing her friend Cydney. Her eyes had scanned the rest of the kids looking at her. Her teachers' eyes widened, looking glassy. She ran. She ran past the announcer. She ran past her friends. She ran past her teachers. She ran through the hallway and ran into the new boy named Charlie that she evidently had a crush on too.

"I'm so sorry." She cried.

"No, it's fine." He had said. He had taken another look at her. "Oh my god what happened to you?" His eyes met hers and her heart had raced.

"It's nothing. I need to go. I'm really sorry."

He grabbed her shoulder as she tried to escape. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine. I'll see you in forth hour." She ran past him into her empty English class, sat against the wall under the white board and cried. Charlie had apparently came in then and sat down by her and said nothing. He just sat and waited for her to finish. He had been absorbed in her sadness. When she looked up at him he was calm.

"Why did you follow me?" She had asked.

"Because. No one else was running behind to get you. So I decided that I was supposed to do it." They were close ever since.

Now she had to remind me of all that. "Anyways," She continued. "She almost hit me in the face if it weren't for Charlie. She pulled her hand back and he stepped in front of me at the last second. I was the one who took him to the nurse. Poor guy, and the nurse was sick! So I had to play doctor. His nose was bleeding so I looked up what to do I put a Band-Aid on his nose and had him tilt his head and stuff. She also punched him in the gut for blocking me. I didn't really know what to do there so I just had him lift his shirt to make sure she didn't hurt him really bad. So now he's okey dokey. I think."

"Such a flirt."

"I know aren't I adorable?" She giggled.

"Yeah. Now go get Ziva. She should be at NCIS."

"Okey dokey!" She threw on her coat and walked out the door. It was a half hour before she returned.

"I need to do my homework, Ziva's gonna be here any second. She had to finish her paper work so I just walked back."

"Work good!"

"I will!" She walked into the guest room that she had transformed into hers. Ziva came in twenty minutes later.

"She was almost in a fight at school and the new boy that came does not look safe to me."

"Ziva, calm down. She told me the entire story. Even if he's there to kill her, they're too close. He wouldn't be able to pull the trigger."

"I do not care. She will not get a boy friend." I looked at her knowing that she was going to go out with him. "What?"

"If you tell her not to go out with him she will. That's just how teenagers work."

"Tony! I can't figure out what Y is!" Miranda yelled from her room.

"I'll be back later. You, calm down." Algebra. Wonderful. "What are you stuck on?" I leaned over her.

"Okay. So Y=2.5x+47 and X=87."

"Easy. What's 87-47?"

"Um. . .40?"

"Good. Now what's 40/2.5?"

"Lets see. . ." She did her problem in the air. "Then it's 16!"

"Good job."

"Thanks!"

That night I had to run to work to finish some papers Vance needed tomorrow morning at eight. Not really a good idea but preparation isn't really my thing. I trotted into the bullpen in dark jeans and a mahogany American Eagle t-shirt and some regular tennis shoes to go with it. As I ran in I saw McGeekers sitting at his desk. Why was he sitting there? I will never know. Only those who speak McGeekers would know. I snuck up behind him by crawling on the floor around his desk. I held my hands out like spiders and pushed against his shoulders.

"Boo!" I said. McGee yelped like a puppy.

"A little scared are we? Well, apparently we didn't prepare that paper work so all we had to do was sign crap. Poor you."

"Tony I'm busy. Don't bother me." He was staring intently at the computer.

"Whoa, I'm even farther than you! McPaperwork! You slacker!"

"Yeah, only Ziva did it."

"Yeah . . . No. She was here before both of us doing it. So there. We all suck at paperwork." I logged on to my computer. We were just issued new ones so the black boxes from 1993 were gone, no one would miss them. Paper work was easy, long, but easy, and I could go home.

"Night McPaperwork! Enjoy your delicacy!"

"Night Tony." Still staring. He was going to loose his vision before he looses his mind. Unless he already did.

It was a quiet night at home. Miranda went to school in the morning and I went to work with Ziva at my side. She was so beautiful with the sun on her skin and the thawing show on her shoes. No Tony! No sexy thoughts! No, no, no, no, no! No NCIS girlfriends! Or wives for that matter! You can do nothing about it! You don't even have a chance! Maybe secretly. . . But. . . No Tony! No!

McGee was late today. Maybe he did loose his vision. Very possible. Like when. . . Never mind. That wasn't a good night. At least Gibbs wasn't here yet. Then McGee would be screwed. That wouldn't be good for McGeekers. Poor little guy. Oh well. Sorry moment over.

Gibbs walked in and sat at his desk.

"No case today, Boss?" I asked.

"No, DiNozzo, no calls yet." He answered back.

"Oh."

"So Tony what are you going to do now?" Ziva questioned.

"Do a little. . . Searching."

"You are not going to find her killer Tony. We searched long and hard for him or her. We did not find them. Miranda will be transferred to an adoption home. You will not see or hear from her again. Just like-"

"It was different with her okay! She was special! And you just want to ship her off to some boarding school! Do you even care about her?"

"No Tony! Because we aren't supposed to love her! We were giving her a place to live! Not a family!"

"You didn't go through what she did!"

"I killed my own brother!"

"Your life was easy! You always had your family! Miranda lost her mother! Now her dad's dead too! She. Has. No. Family!"

"Tony! You do not know who you are dealing with! This child could all be a lie! She could be working for terrorists!"

"Oh yeah? Why! Why don't you trust anyone! Not. Even. Me!"

"You do not understand! She does not cry! She does not have feelings!"

"Well at least this girl has a heart!"

Ziva opened her mouth, then shut it. I knew she wanted to cry. She ran into the elevator and I chased after her. She ran into the woman's bathroom and I stopped. I got in the elevator and went down to my car, and drove home. Gibbs would understand.

Miranda got home and was back to her smiley mood.

"Hehehe! I jumped off the swings!" Apparently kids weren't as exciting as they used to be.

"And I did a double back flip! It was so good! Kayla absolutely loved it! I taught her how to do one off the swings too!" Never mind.

"Um. . . Did you get hurt?"

"No."

"Did Kayla get hurt?"

"No."

"Did you hurt someone else?"

"No."

"Did you see what's in the fridge?"

"No. . ." She went to go investigate. "I don't see anything. Hey, later lets go buy some fudge pops."

"In winter. You want fudge pops. In winter."

"I'm sorry to burst your bubble Tony, but it's February. Not December."

"Winter."

"No duh." We stared at each other for a long time.

"Okay. I'll get you some fudge pops."

"Okay then. Thank you." She got a text and replied with amazing speed.

"Sorry that was Dara. Can I go to Rollerama tomorrow? If you bring your I.D. card you get in free and then I have my own blades so yeah. It's pretty cool. Please?"

"Sure. Want me to drive you? Usual time?"

"Yeah. Pick me up at 11:30."

"Okay cool. Now get to your homework and then you can go to Kayla's."

"You're scary sometimes."

"You're adorable sometimes."

"I know aren't I?" She giggled.

"Yeah whatever. Homework."

"Math."

"Do."

"Hate."

"Go."

"Hate."

"Go."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Hate."

"Go."

"Fine."

"Thanks."

"I hate you."

"Go enjoy homework!"

"I still hate you."

This girl was hilarious! She never meant it when she said she hated me. It was always a friendly hate. We would say good-bye by sometimes saying 'Bye! I hate you!', 'I hate you too!' It was very entertaining. What did she do at school? I bet she was more hilarious. That would be a sight to see.

But then something happened that made my heart stop.

A heart-wrenching scream came from down the hall.


	5. Hospitals and Foreheads

_**Author's Note: First off I have to say that last chapter had a pretty sweet ending. So since that amazing cliffhanger we're going to see where this is going . . . Because I really don't know either! **____** I've got two things I need you guys to vote on. (Just comment your choice. I'll get it.) What should I do with Miranda? Kill her off or have her life a life with Tony and Ziva? Comment and enjoy my Fair Flowers!**_

**Chapter 5**

I ran into Miranda's bedroom. She was on the floor with blood on her face and a gash on her forehead. She was breathing deeply, more like gasping each breath. Tears were rolling down her cheeks and blood was staining her silky blonde hair. I ran into the bathroom and grabbed a towel, got it wet and ran back into her room. I put the towel on her head and I heard her moan in protest.

"Shhh shhh, your okay now. It's okay. You're gonna be okay. It's okay. Don't cry. It's okay now." I wasn't really a pro at this but it's the best I've got. I called Ziva but it was no use. I heard a ring at my doorbell. I got up, upset to just leave Miranda like this. Ziva was at the door.

"I saw him. I ran. He did not stop when I started shooting. I came here after I lost him."

I didn't speak for a minute. "Good job. Get my car started please." I handed her my car keys. She nodded and went downstairs to the parking lot.

I went back into the bedroom and scooped up Miranda. I carried her to the hallway when my phone rang. Miranda grabbed it and held it against my ear.

"DiNozzo"

"DiNozzo what did you do now?"

"Nothing Boss. Someone came into my house and slashed her forehead. He was gone when I ran in."

"So what are you going to do now, DiNozzo?"

"I'm bringing her to the hospital. She doesn't need an ambulance. So it's going to be okay."

"I think we just reopened a case."

"Yeah, I'll call you later boss. Bye."

"Good job, DiNozzo." And he hung up.

When I jogged into the parking garage Ziva was right there with the car. I lay Miranda in the back and I got into the passenger seat. Ziva was driving. I couldn't decide if this was a bad or good thing. She sped off and we soon reached the hospital.

I brought Miranda inside and brought her to the counter.

"What did you do to her?" The woman said alarmed.

"Nothing. I did nothing. Can you make her head fixed again?"

"Nice choice of words. Yes. Just let me get her doctor."

"Um . . ."

"Yes?"

"She doesn't go to this hospital."

"Well she's here now."

"No, I mean her doctor is miles away in a small suburb. I don't remember where though."

"Wonderful. I'll put her into the database and see if she's registered. What's her name?"

"Your wasting time! She needs medical attention!"

"What's her name?"

I sighed. "Miranda Williams."

"Okay," She typed into the computer. "Yes, this is good. She came up right away. She got her shots and, oh yes, yes, I see. Okay we can fix her up right away. Just wait one second."

"Wonderful." She printed a piece of paper out and handed it to me.

"Are you her legal guardian?"

"As legal as you think."

"Where's the paperwork?"

"There was none."

"Give it. You're not her legal guardian. Give me the paper."

"I'm as legal as you need me to be."

"I see your being stubborn. Very well then. We will get her fixed up in a jiffy. Give her to Dr. Moss and we'll be fine and on our way."

"I'm not leaving her."

"What are you? Her boyfriend? Set her on the cot!"

"I'm following."

"Fine. Enjoy. Now set her down." I laid her on the cot.

"Good job. Now sit."

"No."

"Sir, you're making this difficult. I suggest you stop immediately."

"No. I'm coming."

"I will follow as well." Ziva stepped into the room. The woman was defiantly pissed.

"Fine. You can follow like dogs. But if you touch anything I will sue you."

"Okay then. Ziva let us go."

"Thank you Tony." She said and stepped in front of me.

"Wait. Are you two related to her?" Miranda was being pushed down a hallway while a team of nurses cleaned her forehead and stuck her with needles.

"Um, yes." I said worried.

"Who are you?" She questioned pointing to me.

"I'm her dad's best friend. We were bunkmates in the Marines and he said if anything happened to her or him, I would take care of his daughter."

"And you?" She pointed to Ziva.

"I am his girl friend." She said proudly. Either it was a pretty good act or she was living in a fairytale.

"We have had hundreds of those. You better prove it somehow."

"Fine." Ziva said and turned to me. I saw the look she had in her eyes. It was like she was remembering when . . . No! No Tony! Not again! Shut up! Stop thinking you retard!

"Well. This better be going somewhere." She said annoyed.

Ziva stood on her tip toes and her lips met mine . . . again. That's not weird . . . She wrapped her arms around my neck and I crushed her body against mine.

"Okay okay enough! I get it! Your in love!" I pulled back and gasped at the way the woman said that.

_Your in love!_

Wonderful. Gibbs is gonna be pissed.


End file.
